Dan Lourenco and Ryan Hughes founded Ghost Drink in 2016. Dan and Ryan were passionate about fitness and sports supplements, and they wanted to create a unique product that stood out in the crowded supplement market.
The Story of Dan Lourenco and Ryan Hughes:
Dan Lourenco and Ryan Hughes both had extensive experience in the fitness and supplement industries. Lourenco had marketing experience for various supplement companies, while Hughes was a fitness model, trainer, and entrepreneur. Their shared passion for fitness brought them together, and they bonded over the idea of creating a brand that resonated with fitness enthusiasts and gamers but also offered more than just supplements.
They quickly realized that there is a gap in the market for energy drinks and capitalized on that.
They envisioned a brand that embraced transparency, authenticity, and modern lifestyle branding, which was uncommon in the supplement industry.
The Ghost Lifestyle
They launched Ghost Lifestyle, a brand that blends fitness with pop culture, music, and fashion. One of their key innovations was the fully transparent labeling of ingredients on their products, something that was rare in the supplement industry at the time. Ghost was also one of the first brands to partner with popular companies like Sour Patch Kids, Swedish Fish, and Oreo, creating unique and appealing flavors for their energy drinks and supplements.
The Ghost Energy
In 2020, Dan and Ryan teamed with Anheuser-Busch InBEV to launch Ghost Energy.
Here is a video of Dan and Ryan talking about the nutrient facts breakdown:
How They Made Their First Million:
Within the first year of launching in 2016, Ghost had already hit the $1 million revenue mark. Their approach of combining high-quality supplements with creative flavors and transparent marketing helped them stand out in a saturated market. The success of their collaborations with popular candy brands also gave them viral attention and helped them cross the million-dollar mark early on in their journey.
Since then, Ghost has expanded its product line to include pre-workout supplements, protein powders, and energy drinks, continuing to grow into a highly recognizable brand in both the fitness and lifestyle sectors. The company’s emphasis on community-building and creative branding has made it one of the most talked-about brands in the energy drink industry.
On Oct 24, Keurig Dr Pepper signed a deal to acquire Ghost for 1 billion dollars.
